Facelift and Neck Lift Consultations in Brisbane
Brisbane facelift and neck lift consultations are held at Herstellen Clinic, 490 Boundary Street, Spring Hill QLD 4000, in the medical precinct on the northern edge of the Brisbane CBD. Consultation dates are set in advance, so phone 1300 437 758 for the next available dates.
A consultation covers your medical history, what you would like to change, an examination of the face and neck, and clinical photography. Expect a direct discussion of what surgery can and cannot change for your anatomy, including whether a smaller operation, a non-surgical option or no surgery would be more appropriate.
Travelling from the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast or Toowoomba
Patients considering a facelift or neck lift from the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Toowoomba and the Northern Rivers can attend their consultations in Spring Hill. Surgery and early recovery take place in Sydney, and later reviews can be held in Brisbane or by telehealth, so most patients make one interstate trip, for the operation.
Brisbane consultations are for facelift and neck lift surgery and the procedures combined with them. For other procedures, Dr Turner consults in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and Northern Beaches, Newcastle and Canberra; see our clinics.
Who May Be Suitable for a Facelift or Neck Lift?
Facelift and neck lift surgery is generally considered when the changes are structural: the brow and temples sitting lower, the cheek descending, jowls forming along the jawline, and loss of definition between the jaw and the neck. Where the main finding is skin texture, fine lines or pigmentation, surgery is not the appropriate first step. There is no single right age for surgery; the decision is based on anatomy rather than age.
Assessment at consultation covers:
- The pattern of change in the upper face, midface, jowls, jawline and neck, including platysmal bands and fullness under the chin.
- Skin quality and how the tissue is likely to settle.
- General health, medications and suitability for general anaesthesia.
- Nicotine use, including vaping. All nicotine products reduce blood flow to the skin and increase the risk of delayed healing, so stopping before surgery and during healing is expected.
- Previous facial surgery or non-surgical treatments.
- Whether you can plan a stay in Sydney of about 7 to 10 days for the operation and early recovery.
Expectations are discussed in the same consultation, including what surgery can and cannot change and the possibility that further surgery may be needed. Where surgery is not appropriate for your findings, Dr Turner will say so and discuss the alternatives.
Facelift Options for Brisbane Patients
The technique is chosen to suit the examination findings rather than offered as a package, and each option below can be discussed at a Brisbane consultation. Deep plane is Dr Turner’s preferred facelift technique; in some patients a SMAS facelift may be an option. The full range is compared on the facelift surgery page.
Deep Plane Facelift
A deep plane facelift works beneath the SMAS, the fibrous layer that carries the facial fat and continues into the platysma muscle of the neck. Selected retaining ligaments are released so the skin and SMAS can be repositioned together as one composite layer, rather than tension being placed on the skin. Because these ligaments lie close to branches of the facial nerve, the extent of release is planned for each patient.
The base operation includes suspension of the platysma at the side of the neck and takes about four hours. Adding a standard or deep neck lift and other procedures extends this, and most deep plane face and neck lifts take four to six hours under general anaesthesia with a specialist anaesthetist, followed by around one night in hospital. Configurations include the short scar facelift and the lower facelift. Technique, suitability and recovery are covered on the deep plane facelift page.
Endoscopic Ponytail Facelift
The endoscopic ponytail facelift is performed through small incisions within the hairline, with no incisions around the ear. Selected retaining ligaments are released and the deeper tissues of the brow, temples, upper face and early midface are repositioned and secured. It does not directly treat the jowls, jawline or neck. Surgery takes about two to three hours, as day surgery or with one night in hospital, and most patients plan one to two weeks off work.
Vertical Restore Facelift
The Vertical Restore Facelift combines a deep plane face and neck lift with a deep neck lift, brow lift, upper and lower eyelid surgery, an upper lip lift and fat grafting in one operation of up to eight hours. It may be considered where changes extend from the brow and eyelids through the midface to the jawline and neck. Combining procedures means one anaesthetic and one recovery rather than several, but also a longer operation and more swelling. Whether every component is needed is decided at consultation.
Procedures Often Combined with a Facelift
A brow lift is part of most facelift plans. Where the brow sits in a good, stable position, a small lateral or temporal brow lift is usually enough, and it also limits bunching of skin at the temple; otherwise a formal endoscopic brow lift may be recommended. Upper eyelid surgery, lower eyelid surgery, an upper lip lift and facial fat transfer can also be performed in the same operation. Each adds theatre time, swelling and recovery, and whether procedures are combined or staged is a clinical decision.
Revision facelift and male facelift and neck lift surgery are also discussed at Brisbane consultations. Photographs of Dr Turner’s patients, published with their consent, are in the facelift before and after gallery, which includes patients who had neck surgery as part of their operation. Results vary between patients, and the images do not indicate a typical or guaranteed outcome.
Neck Lift Options for Brisbane Patients
Changes in the neck can come from loose skin, fat above or below the platysma muscle, platysmal bands and structures beneath the muscle. The operation depends on which of these are present, and in many patients the neck and lower face are treated together. Each option below can be assessed at a Brisbane neck lift consultation, and the options are compared on the neck lift surgery page.
- Standard neck lift (platysmaplasty). The platysma at the front of the neck is repaired through a small incision under the chin, and the platysma at the side of the neck is suspended. Dr Turner performs this as part of a facelift rather than as a separate operation. See platysmaplasty.
- Deep neck lift. Treats fullness arising beneath the platysma, which may involve subplatysmal fat, the anterior digastric muscles, the submandibular glands and the deep cervical fascia. It can be performed on its own, in about three hours, or with a facelift. See deep neck lift.
- Direct neck lift. Performed through a short incision beneath the chin, near the natural crease, rather than on the front of the neck. In selected patients it is used for central neck fullness, localised fat under the chin, central platysmal bands and modest skin laxity. See direct neck lift.
Where loose skin and jowls are present as well, neck lift surgery on its own may leave the jawline unchanged, which is why the neck is often assessed and treated with the face.
Risks and Limitations
All surgery carries risk, and facelift and neck lift surgery are significant operations. Risks discussed in detail at consultation include:
- Bleeding and haematoma. A collection of blood beneath the skin, most common in the first 24 hours, which may need a return to theatre.
- Facial nerve injury. Temporary or, less commonly, permanent weakness of the muscles of facial expression.
- Numbness or altered sensation. Around the ears, cheeks, scalp and neck, usually settling over months.
- Scarring. Scars are permanent. Most fade over months, but raised or thickened scars are possible.
- Delayed wound healing or skin loss. More likely with nicotine use or poorly controlled medical conditions.
- Other risks. Infection, asymmetry, contour irregularity in the neck, temporary hair loss near incisions and the risks of general anaesthesia.
- Further surgery. Revision may be needed, and the outcome may not meet expectations.
Surgery also has limits. It does not change skin texture, fine lines or pigmentation, and the face and neck continue to age after surgery. How long the change lasts varies with anatomy, skin quality, the procedures performed and lifestyle; see how long a facelift lasts.
More detail is in the risks and complications of facelift surgery guide and on the general risks and complications page.
Recovery: Travelling from Brisbane to Sydney for Surgery
Surgery is performed at Delmar Private Hospital on the Northern Beaches or Bondi Junction Private Hospital in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, so Brisbane facelift and neck lift patients plan a stay in Sydney for the operation and early recovery. Most patients stay about 7 to 10 days; the exact length depends on the procedure and how healing progresses. A support person is needed for at least the first 24 to 48 hours after discharge. Recovery varies between patients, and swelling, bruising, tightness and temporary altered sensation are expected.
A typical sequence after a deep plane face and neck lift:
- Surgery and hospital stay. Usually one night in hospital.
- Days 3 to 4. Dressing change and removal of the haemostatic net, the temporary stitches placed through the skin to close the space beneath the lifted tissues.
- Day 7. Removal of the remaining sutures. Most patients travel home between day 7 and day 10.
- Weeks 2 to 3. Swelling and bruising settling. Many patients return to desk-based work in this period.
- Weeks 4 to 6. Visible bruising has usually resolved.
- Around 3 months. Much of the swelling has settled. Tissue settling and scar maturation continue over 6 to 12 months.
During the stay, patients ideally attend the rooms two or three times for LED therapy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy is also recommended, so staying close to the rooms helps. The practice holds commercial rates with a local hotel and Airbnb near the rooms and can suggest accommodation when surgery is booked. Avoid booking the flight home too tightly around the surgery date.
Once you are back in Queensland, routine reviews are usually held by telehealth at six weeks and at three, six and twelve months, and in-person reviews can be held at a Brisbane consultation. A week-by-week account is in the deep plane facelift recovery timeline, and travel planning is covered in information for out-of-town patients.
Fees for Brisbane Patients
Facelift and neck lift fees for Brisbane patients are the same as for patients in Sydney, where surgery is performed. A deep plane facelift starts from $33,300 all-inclusive, about four hours in theatre, and fees range up to $65,471 for a full Vertical Restore Facelift. The fee covers the surgeon, specialist anaesthetist, private hospital and scheduled post-operative reviews.
Fees reflect theatre time, surgical complexity and the procedures combined, so a deep neck lift, brow lift, eyelid surgery, lip lift or fat grafting in the same operation adds to the fee. Other facelift techniques, and neck procedures performed on their own, are quoted after consultation. A written, itemised quote is provided after assessment. Facelift surgery for facial ageing is cosmetic, so there is no Medicare rebate or private health insurance benefit.
Flights and accommodation in Sydney are not included in the surgical fee, so plan for them separately.
The facelift cost page sets out the fee for each combination of procedures, with a calculator to estimate yours.
Booking a Brisbane Facelift Consultation
A referral from your GP or another registered medical practitioner is needed before your first consultation.
Two consultations with Dr Turner are required before surgery can be booked. At least one must be face to face, at Herstellen Clinic in Brisbane or at the Sydney rooms; the other may be by video, so most patients need to make only one consultation visit. Together they cover examination, photography, the options for your anatomy, alternatives to surgery, risks, recovery and fees. In line with Medical Board requirements, every patient is screened for psychological factors, including body dysmorphic disorder, and referred for independent assessment where appropriate.
After the second consultation, a cooling-off period of at least seven days applies before surgery can be booked or a deposit paid.
Dr Turner performs the surgery himself, with a specialist anaesthetist. He is registered with AHPRA as a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (MED0001654827) and holds Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS). His training and background are set out on Dr Scott J Turner’s profile, and the questions worth asking any facelift surgeon are covered in how to choose a facelift surgeon.
To arrange a Brisbane facelift or neck lift consultation, phone 1300 437 758 or contact the practice.
Facelift Brisbane FAQs
Can I have a face lift in Brisbane?
You can have your consultations in Brisbane, but the operation is performed in Sydney. Brisbane is a consulting location of Dr Turner’s Sydney practice, and facelift and neck lift surgery takes place at Delmar Private Hospital on the Northern Beaches or Bondi Junction Private Hospital in the Eastern Suburbs, under general anaesthesia with a specialist anaesthetist. Most patients return home 7 to 10 days after surgery.
Where are Brisbane consultations held?
At Herstellen Clinic, 490 Boundary Street, Spring Hill, in the medical precinct on the northern edge of the Brisbane CBD. Consultation dates are set in advance, so phone 1300 437 758 for the next available dates. Patients travel from across South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers to consult in Brisbane before surgery in Sydney.
Which procedures can I discuss at a Brisbane consultation?
Facelift and neck lift surgery: the deep plane facelift, the endoscopic ponytail facelift, the standard, deep and direct neck lift and the Vertical Restore Facelift, along with procedures that may be combined with them, such as a brow lift, eyelid surgery, an upper lip lift and fat grafting. The technique is chosen after examination rather than in advance.
How long do I need to stay in Sydney after surgery?
Most patients stay about 7 to 10 days. The stay covers around one night in hospital, a dressing change and removal of the haemostatic net at day 3 or 4, and removal of the remaining sutures at day 7. Patients ideally attend the rooms two or three times for LED therapy during this period, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy is also recommended.
How is follow-up managed once I return to Queensland?
Routine reviews are usually held by telehealth at six weeks and at three, six and twelve months, and in-person reviews can be held at a Brisbane consultation. If you notice a change you are unsure about between reviews, contact the practice so the right type of review can be arranged.
Are facelift fees different for Brisbane patients?
No. Because surgery is performed in Sydney, fees are the same for all patients. A deep plane facelift starts from $33,300 all-inclusive, up to $65,471 for a full Vertical Restore Facelift, covering the surgeon, specialist anaesthetist, private hospital and scheduled reviews. Flights and accommodation in Sydney are not included and need to be planned for separately.
Is a neck lift part of the facelift?
Often, yes. The base deep plane operation includes suspension of the platysma at the side of the neck, and a standard neck lift or deep neck lift is added where there are platysmal bands, fullness under the chin or a blunted angle between the jaw and the neck. A deep neck lift or direct neck lift can also be performed on its own. The approach is decided after examination.
Can I consult in Brisbane if I live on the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast?
Yes. Patients from the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and the Northern Rivers can attend their facelift or neck lift consultations at Herstellen Clinic in Spring Hill. Surgery and early recovery are in Sydney, and later reviews can be held in Brisbane or by telehealth.
